Valve-box



Ptented `May 3, 1921.1

L VAN GILDER,

v'ALvaBox. APPLXCATIQN FILED JULY 3.1917.

muren STATES" `ArsNr orFIcE.

LINCOLN vAN ermita, or vENTNoR, NNW JERSEY.

VALVE-Box. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May `3, 1921.

Application filed July 3, 1917. Serial No. 178,458.

yother features, by theinclusion of a lid having a plurality of annular shoulders or offl sets and a body provided with an opening formed with a multiple-step edge for the receptiony of said lid ,-the Vinvention also contemplating the use of recesses so placed in the edge of the body opening as to permit of the insertion of a lever or bar for the purpose of loosening and raising the lid.

It is further desired to provide abox or cover of the type noted which in addition to being particularly adapted to sustain heavy loads, shall be so formed as to be capable of convenient extension or shortening to permit of its use withvalves or other devices set in theground at widely varying depths.

I also desire to provide a manhole cover or valve box with a novel form of multiple water and sand seal for its lid in which the parts shall be so formed as to facilitate the quick and convenient removal ofsaid lid.

These obj ects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which, Y

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a valve box constructed according to my invention;

Fig.V 2 is a plan of the shown in Fig. 1;

Fig.' Bis va vertical longitudinal section of the top element of a slightly modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a modied top plan applicable to the structures shown in either of Figs. 1 or 8.

In the above drawings 1 represents the tubular top section of a valve box or manhole cover constructed according to my invention, which includes a substantially circular body 3 and a top flange 2, having in the case of Fig. 1, a square outline, although obviously it may have a generally circular or other form, with any desired number of projections as indicated at 2a in Fig. 4.

Below this top flange the body is provided with a second flange 4 which may be contop of the box nected to said top flangeby two .or more vertical webs 5. The'opening in the upper end of the body is formed to provide two concentric Hat horizontal shoulders or offsets 6 and 7 for the reception and support vof a lid 8, whose edge is of stepped section to provide two flat faces designed to respectively rest upon the two faces of the shoulders 6 and 7. Said lid has a central annular extension 8a designed to ft closely inside of the top of the body 3, it being notedthat q this extension as well as the edges of both of lthe vshouldered parts 9 and 10 of the lid,

are tapered or inclined as shown. e

In order to facilitate the removal of the li'dfrom the body, l form the top-flange 2 thereof with any suitable number of radially extending recesses or cavities 11 which l yextend downwardly to the level of the lower shoulder 6 and under ythey part 10 of the edge of the lid. When four of these recesses are employed, the top ange 2 is given thel square outline shown in Fig. 2, with one of the recesses in each corner, while if' but two recesses are employed, the flange is made generally circular as at 2a in nig. 4, and has two oppositely extending angular extensions in which its recess 11 are formed. i .y f

The lowerV part of the body 3 is preferably extended or given a bell-mouthed form as indicated at 12, and immediately above this portion is provided with an annular groove 13 or is otherwise made structurally weak in order to permit of theconvenient breaking away and removal of vsaid bell-mouthed end when this is advisable. f

Under conditions of use the structure l is preferably employed in connection with a pipe or tubular structure 14 having its lower end extendedor given a bell-mouthedform as indicated at 15 and provided with an outwardly projecting flange 16. ln order to render the part 14 conveniently adaptable to the different conditions, it is provided with any desired number of annular curved or weakened portions 17 and 18.

These upper and lower parts 1 and 14 are preferably employed in connection with an intermediate tubular section 19, whichmay customarily consist of a suitable length of scrap pipe of such diameter as to lit into the bell-moutlied lower end 12 of said section 1 and also lit over or into the upper end of the lower section 14. Obviously by upper sections of the part 14, and using it Aiio breaking or cutting olf one or more of the either with or without the intermediate parts 19 and 12, the apparatus may be suited for use in connection with valves or other apparatus set at widely varying depths.

. In an extreme case the intermediate part 19 may be omitted, the bell-mouth 12 and the upper sections of the part 14 may be broken off and the reduced diameter portion of the upper end 4of the bottoni bell-mouth 15 may be fitted directly into the lower end of the body 1.

It should be noted that while the particular structures illustrated in the drawings have been designed to serve as valve boxes for protecting and providing access to valves situated below the level of the sidewalk or street, the upper part thereof may be advantageously employed as part of a manhole construction. @ne important feature of this top 'portion resides in the second'or' lower flange 4 which when the box is used in the street, may be embedded in or set on the concrete or other foundation of `the roadway, thereby elfectually supporting the yupper portion of" the structure and preventing its being driven down or displaced sov when exposed to heavy traffic.

In that form of the apparatus shown in Figs. Band 4, the tubular body is made in two parts 1a and 1b of which the first is of relatively small diameter and receives withinits upper-end the central annular part 8fL of the lid, while theV second part 1b is of increased diameter and` projects down from the middle of the under face of the flange 4. This form of the invention is adapted for use where the valve to bel protected or rendered Vaccessible is relatively near the surface or lwhere an lincreased space for manipulation is required below the flange 4. `When the part 1 of my device is to be used as a manhole cover, that part of the tubular body below the flange 4, may if desired, be omitted without departing from the invention.

I claim Y -1. lThe combination in a device of the character described Vof a tubular body having onone end a plurality of annular shoulders of different diameters; with a lid having an edge of stepped. section including a plurality of annular bearing faces placed to engage the shoulders of the body respectively, 'the top of said body having at least one radial recess extending to a depth sufficient to give access to one of the bearing faces of the edge of the lid.

2. The combination in a device of the character described of a tubular body having on one end a plurality of annular-shoul-V ders of different diameters; with a lid having an edge of stepped section including a plurality of annular bearing faces placed to engage the shoulders ofl the body respectively, .the top edge of said body having projecting portions formed with recesses open to the interior of the body and deeper than the uppermost shoulder thereof so as to give access to one of the bearing faces of the lid.

3. The combination in a device of the character described of a tubular body having a flange at one end and formed withV a plurality of annular shoulders of different diameters providing flat bearing surfaces; and a lid with an edge of stepped sections having a plurality of annular bearing portions placed to engage the flat portions of the body, there being radially extended recesses in the flange of the body positioned to give access of a lid raising tool to an overhanging portion of said lid.

4. The combination in a device of the character described of a' tubular body hav- Y LINCOLN VAN GLDER. 

